Fire-extinguisher.



I No. 739,016. I PATENTBD SEPT. 15, 1903.

J; E. MAGWILLIAM.

FIRE EXTINGUISHBR. w

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 30, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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' UNITED STATES Tatented September 15, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. MAGWILLIAM, OF HUBBARDSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,016, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed July 30, 1902. Serial No. 117,599. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. MAOWILLIAM a citizen of the United States, residing at Hub- This invention relates to that class of sprinkling systems which are employed for protection against fire.

The especial objects of this invention are r to provide a simple, efficient, and reliable automatic. sprinkling system which will discharge a limited volume of water with the best possible efficiency and which will then cease to operate, so that heavy water losses resulting from the sprinkling system running longer than necessary will be avoided.

To these ends this invention consists of the autmomatic sprinkling system and of the combinations of parts therewith, as herein-" after described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification Inthe accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of a sprinkling system constructed according to my invention to a compartment. Fig. 2 is a side view, partially broken away, of the supply-tank. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof, showing the parts in a different relative position; and Fig. 4 is a detail View illustrating a construction for turning in an alarm in connection with the sprinkling system. r

The use of automatic sprinklers which are usually supplied with water from the ordinary city or town water-service has now become a well-recognized means for protection against fire.

The use of the ordinary automatic sprinkling systems is open to one serious objection'-that is to say, when the sprinkling system has been once started into operation the water will continue to run until the main sup ply is shut off. On this account it frequently happens that when a sprinkling system is started into operation either from defects in the appliances or from comparatively small fires the water will continue to run for comparatively long periods of time, resulting in heavy losses from water damage. In fact, in nearly all cases where sprinkling systems are employed for extinguishing fire it has been found that the water damage nearly equals or exceeds the actual fire losses.

In practice I have found that an-automatic sprinkling system gives its greatest protection at the inception or very commencement of a fire and that if a sprinkling system is not sufficiently powerful or does not operate effi cientlyenough toextinguish a fire almost as soon as it is kindled it is useless to allow the water to continue to run out through the sprinkler-heads.

To overcome the objections of the ordinary automatic sprinkling systems which are supplied from city or town water-services, I propose to provide asprinkling system in which the automatic sprinkler-heads are supplied from tanks 'or reservoirs, so that when the sprinkling system is called into action and the tank emptied the operation of the system will cease and further unnecessary loss will be avoided. V

A still further object of my invention is to provide an automatic sprinkling system in which a comparatively low pressure will be maintained at all times, but which is provided with means for promptly increasing said pressure when the sprinkling apparatus is called intooperation. For example, in a sprinkling system constructed according to my invention'a normal pressure of one or two atmospheres will be maintained for forcing the water from the tank up through the sprinklers, While when the sprinklers start in operation, so as to lower the level of water in the tank, the pressure will be at once raised therein, so that the water will be forced out through the sprinkler-heads with such heavy pressure as to insure an efficient fire-extin- Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of a sprinkling system constructed according to my invention, as illustrated in Fig. 1, A designates a tank or reservoir. In practice the tank or reservoiris preferably formed of metal and is provided with a stand or base, so that the same may be placed in one corner of the compartmentor room to be protected. If preferred, the tank can beincased, although'in practice I prefer to have the tank kept in plain sight, so that it is at all times open to inspection and the amount of pressuremaintained therein can be readily read.

Leading from the bottom of the tank A is an outlet-pipe B, which extends up and is provided with branch pipes forsupplying the ordinary sprinkler-heads O. The sprinklerheads 0 may be arranged or grouped together in any desired manner, the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 beingshown simply for the purpose of illustration.

The upper end of the tank A, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, is closed by having a cover 10 threaded thereon. The cover 10 is provided with a handle or rail 11. Opening through the cover 10 is a pressure-pipe 12, which is provided with a gage 13 and an airvalve 14, through which air may be pumped to maintain the normal pressure in the tank. In practice the air-valve 14 may be soldered up or sealed after the pressure is raised to the requisite point in the tank, so that after the system has been once installed a constant pressure may be maintained therein.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the tank A is partially filled with liquid. I preferably employ water having a sufiicient amount of carbonates dissolved therein so that when acid is mixed with the solution it will generate a comparatively heavy pressure. To provide for automatically supplying acid to the solution when the system starts into operation, the tank may be provided with lugs 15, as shown in Fig. 3, and journaled in the lugs 15 is a cross-bar 16, having an acid bottle or receptacle 17. The center of gravity of the acid-bottle 17 is low enough to normally hold the bottle in an upright position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Secured to one side of the bottle 17 is a chain 18, which connects to a float 19. Fitting loosely into the mouth of the acid-bottle 17 is a cover 20. By means of this construction a comparatively small normal pressure may be maintained in the system. WVhen any of the sprinklers start into operation, however, the level of water in the tank will be lowered, the acid-bottle will be inverted, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the pressure in the tank will be promptly raised, so that the water will be sprayed or forced out through the sprinkler-heads with such force as to insure the sprinklers acting with the greatest possible efficiency.

If desired, several compartments may be protected from a single supply-tank, although in practice I prefer to provide a supply-tank for each compartment, so that an independent system will be maintained in each room or compartment which is protected according to my invention. In the use of this system, furthermore, the water damage will be red need to a minimum, because when the tank has been emptied the system ceases to operate.

In connection with a system constructed according to my invention I may employ any of the ordinary devices for turning in an alarm when the system starts into operation. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the fusible section 21 of each of the sprinkler-heads maybe connected to hold up a contact-piece 22,which will be released and close a circuit to sound a bell D and operate an annunciator or other signal in the ordinary manner.

I am aware that numerous changes may be made in practicing my invention by those who are skilled in the art without departing from the scope thereof as expressed in the claims. Ido notwish, therefore, to belimited to the construction I have herein shownand described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination of a supply-tank with air-pressure maintained therein to force water from said tank as soon as an outlet therefrom is opened, and means controlled of water from said tank for pressure therein.

2. In an automatic sprinkling apparatus, the combination of a tank containing a chemicalized solution and means brought into action by lowering the level of the solution in the tank for mixing acid therewith to generate an increased pressure, said means comprisingabottle or receptacle movably mounted in said tank, and a float connected to empty said receptacle.

3. The combination in a sprinkling apparatus of overhead sprinklers, a suppl -tank with air-pressure maintained therein in position to force water through the sprinklers as soon as opened, and means controlled by the escape of water from said tank for increasing the pressure therein.

4. In an automatic sprinkling apparatus, the combination of overhead sprinklers, a supply-tank containing a chemicalized solution having air-pressure maintained therein to force solution through the sprinklers as soon as opened, and means controlled by the escape of solution from the tank for mixing acid therewith to generate an increased pressure when the sprinklers are started in operation.

5. In an automatic sprinkling apparatus, the combination of overhead sprinklers, a supply-tank containing a chemicalized solution with air-pressure maintained therein to increasing the by the escape force solution through the sprinklers as soon as opened, an acid bottle or receptacle mounted in said tank, and a float controlled by the escape of the solution from the tank for invertin g the acid-bottle to thereby increase the pressure in the tank when the sprinklers start in operation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. MACWILLIAM. Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, HENRY E. HILL. 

